University:
Jackson College
Course:
ENG-131 | Writing Experience I
Academic year:

2024
Views:

254

Pages:

2
Author:

Rigoberto Sheppard

“Of Mice and Men” SECTION 1 – Deeper Level Thinking Questions Overview: We are introduced to the main characters of George and Lennie. ‘Evening of a hot day ... Jesus Christ you’re a crazy bastard.’ 1. Read the first paragraph in the extract. How does Steinbeck strike an immediate contrast between the two characters? In particular, find words within each description that are direct ‘opposites’ to each other. 2. George and Lennie take very different approaches to drinking the water. What does each man’s approach say about his character? 3. What do George’s first words to Lennie tell us about the relationship between the two men? 4. There are three places in the extract where Lennie is compared to an animal. Find them, explaining how this gives us a stronger idea of Lennie’s physical presence in the novel. 5. What other examples of imagery (metaphors and similes) can you find in the extract? How do they give us a clearer picture of the two men and their environment? Bonus: Compare the ways in which the two characters talk. How does Lennie’s grammar and sentence construction differ from George’s? What is particularly characteristic of George’s speech, especially when he ‘gets mad’? Overview: Lennie asks George to tell about the Dream Farm. ‘Lennie spoke ... one of them to Lennie.’ 1. Steinbeck indicates that this conversation has happened many times before. Find three quotations from the extracts that show this. What is the significance of this? 2. George’s mood changes through the extract. Show how Steinbeck presents this, and suggest why it is so. (Clue: Steinbeck’s use of adverbs may help you see this). 3. What do Lennie’s contributions and interruptions tell us about his character? 4. George often uses the specific colloquial language of the itinerant worker. Copy down these examples from the extract and explain in your own words what they mean: ‘work up a stake’ ‘blow their stake’ ‘get the jack’ ‘poundin’ their tail’ 5. How does the extract tie in with what you know about ‘The American Dream’? Do you think George and Lennie’s plans are realistic or romantic? How does Steinbeck give us a clue about this? Bonus: Some critics have accused Steinbeck of portraying the relationship between George and Lennie in an overly sentimental way. Find some examples in the extract that these critics might have been thinking of, and try to explain their viewpoint. What do you think about this issue? Section 1 – Basic Understanding Questions 1) Is the relationship between George and Lennie one of friendship, or does George only feel obligated to take care of Lennie? What evidence can you find to support either conclusion? 2) Why does Lennie have the dead mouse? Why does George take it away? 3)) What happened at the last place where Lennie and George worked? 4) Describe the dream George and Lennie share for their future. Why is it so important to both men?